H.E.R – Artist Case Study

 

Biography: 

Gabriella Wilson, better known by her stage name H.E.R., is an American  R&B singer from California currently signed under RCA Records. She drew early inspirations in music from her father, who was a member of a local California band named Urban Bushmen and began a passion for music through guitar and vocals. Her first compilation album H.E.R. (2017), consisting of tracks from her first two EPs plus six additional songs, was nominated for five Grammy Awards, winning Best R&B Performance and Best R&B AlbumH.E.R. Was a Published Poet and Apollo Theater Singer at Age 10 | PEOPLE.com

Beginning:

 A big career breakthrough was made for H.E.R when she performed two songs at the ASCAP Awards and later that year was voted one among the three Radio Disney’s ‘Next Big Thing’. Sony Entertainment signed a contract with her when she was 14 years old. The song ‘Something to Prove’ was her first officially released song after which she took a break for 2 years. H.E.R was featured on Radio Disney, landed a record deal with RCA at 14 and received guidance from her idol, Alicia Keys.  At 17, she emerged on the BET Awards stage with a performance of her debut single, “Something to Prove,” where she worked her way up to the Isley Brothers.

Management:

H.E.R manages her shows and sale promotions mostly through her personal website, https://www.her-official.com/  were her tour promotions are found, as well as her main streaming sources that are available through Spotify, Soundcloud, YouTube, and  various Social Media sources. She also receives much of her concert resources through being featured in other artists shows and collaborations.

Longevity:

Since appearing in the ‘Today Show’, where she played piano for Alicia Keys, and also making an appearance with Alicia in the Grammy Awards at the age of 12., H.E.R.’s fame and recognition has improved allowing her to appear in collaborations amongst greater artists. With the likes of Daniel Caesar on the hit song Best Part, performing on the 2018 BET Awards, and landing a spot as an opening act on Chris Brown’s Heartbreak on a Full Moon Tour, H.E.R has gained much recognition and achievements throughout the industry and will definitely continue to evolve with the help of her supporters.

 

Repeatable:

To me I believe it was possible for this artist to kickstart and return to her career due to the support and chances that were brought upon her journey. Of course self dedication and ambition are the key components to continuing and starting a career in this industry, however once there is the guidance of idols, family, or anyone out there interested in your work, it becomes possible to achieve a spot in the field of this career for anyone, even for long-term matters, but cannot be done all on your own.

References:

 

 

Richie Campbell – Eyes Open ft Plutonio (Visual) – YouTube

The song has a great use of syncopation from beginning to end through its catchy afro-beat rhythm and bounce. I really found the pauses between bass lines enjoyable, especially when the rap part jumped in right after. The Portuguese rapping along with the  relaxed vocals in the background were also an overall nice mix , making this a fun dance song.

Echo Frame-Belladonna

 

This song consists of a chill lofti beats and a simple drum track in the background as it repeats an indie guitar riff. You can notice the composition of restriction being used near the half end of the song as the beat slows down then returns to its original form with repeating lyrics at 2:38. The most unique part of the song for me, was when from 2:58 till the end the dissonance harmonics converted an off-beat solo to a funky type instrumental.

St. Vincent – The Nowhere Inn

This song leans more towards an unusual side of music tones and formats, but delivers a curious experience through its composition of negative space at 1:34. The eerie silence in the middle, left the illusion of a restricted tension to be felt. After the instrumental break, the song returned to its dimmed version of chorus, which brought about a satisfying end.

WILLOW – naïve

This is a newer alternative piece released by Willow Smith, and it covers many deep and impressive concepts. The usage of dynamics is clearly shown throughout the song, as the high vocals expand in the main lyrics along with instrumental pieces. I found the message of the song very beautiful as well since it related to real emotion behind a young woman’s perspective.

Kingston Town- UB40

 

In this song there is mostly lots of repetition strategies used in choruses, lyrics, and verses while the reggae beat stays constant at all times.  It has less instrumental pieces incorporated in it, but the slow tempo of piano parts , and groovy tones of the song, add lots of catchy rhythms to it. The overall simplicity and design of this song can bring a lot of joy for a listener.